64-bit Windows 7, Cisco VPN client and XP mode – Part 4

June 24th, 2009 | by Vladimir Stajic |

How do I now use the virtual applications? Simple :) . I just go to the Start menu of Windows 7 and there’s a subsection where the Virtual XP entry is. That subsection now has all the applications, that I have installed in Virtual XP, presented as published “virtual application”.

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When you start the 1st app that means that in the background the Virtual XP machine will actually come out of hibernation and start the application itself. This means that starting the 1st app will take longer than the subsequent apps. You will also be prompted with a question that asks if you actually want to start just the application or the Virtual XP in desktop mode. You will want to choose the “Open Virtual Application” button.

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So how do you tell which applications are “real” and which are “virtual”? Currently, in Beta phase at least, the difference is that “virtual” apps do not have the benefit of nice Windows 7 effects like border transparency. Here is Firefox running natively in Windows 7 on the left side and on the right Firefox that is running as a virtual application.

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Also in the taskbar they are represented with a Virtual PC icon rather with their own. Here Virtual icon is on the left and native Firefox icon is on the right.

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